Word of the day

To carry more weight than a competing consideration

verb

The English word

outweigh

English never changes here, whatever language you are reading in.

When to use it

This verb belongs to formal written argument: it states that one consideration is more important than the one it is set against, so the balance tips in its favour. It is a core item for IELTS Task 2 and for Cambridge B2 First and C1 Advanced essays, and it is equally common in academic writing, newspaper editorials and official reports; speakers rarely reach for it in relaxed conversation. Word order carries the whole claim: the heavier consideration comes before the verb and the one it overrides comes after, so swapping the two nouns reverses your argument - and the heavier consideration can just as easily be a harm as a benefit, as sentence 2 shows. Sentence 1 hides the agreement trap: a singular noun sits between the head noun of the subject and the verb, but agreement follows the plural head noun, so the verb takes no ending; sentence 2 has a singular subject and therefore takes the third-person singular ending, and examiners notice that slip immediately. In the practice line, the degree adverb just before the gap is the most frequent intensifier used with this verb.

Examples

The long-term benefits of the reform clearly outweigh its short-term costs. The damage caused by mass tourism outweighs the income it generates.

Goes with

far outweigh the risks clearly outweigh the costs the advantages outweigh the disadvantages outweigh any short-term gain

Check yourself

Complete the sentence with the English word above.

1. For most students, the benefits of studying abroad far ___ the drawbacks.

Show the answer